The present invention generally relates to sets of golf clubs, and more particularly, to a set of golf club irons that provide a more consistent ball flight peak trajectory height along a line and having a center of gravity that varies for each iron in the set.
In conventional sets of xe2x80x9cironxe2x80x9d golf clubs, each club includes a shaft with a club head attached to one end and a grip attached to the other end. The club head includes a face for striking a golf ball. The angle between the face and a vertical plane is called xe2x80x9cloft.xe2x80x9d
The set generally includes irons that are designated number 1 through number 9, and a series of wedges, such as a pitching wedge, a lob wedge, a gap wedge and a sand wedge. Each iron has a length that usually decreases through the set as the loft for each club head increases from the long irons to the short irons. The length of the club, along with the club head loft and center of gravity impart various performance characteristics to the ball""s launch conditions upon impact. The initial trajectory of the ball extends between the impact point and the apex or peak of the trajectory. This initial portion of the ball""s trajectory is of importance to golfers, because they can view it upon hitting the ball. Long irons, like the 2 iron, produce a more penetrating initial trajectory. Short irons, like the 9 iron or pitching wedge, produce an initial trajectory that is less penetrating than the trajectory of balls struck by long irons. The highest point of the long iron""s ball flight is lower than the highest point for the short iron""s ball flight. The mid irons, such as the 5 iron, produce an initial trajectory that is between those exhibited by balls hit with the long and short irons.
Since golfers see different initial trajectories with each iron number, golfers tend to change their swing from club-to-club in order to make the initial trajectory between clubs consistent. It would be desirable to have all the club heads in a set produce a consistent peak trajectory height along a line without requiring golfers to change their swing. This would allow golfers to use a consistent swing, which would likely improve their performance and confidence.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a set of golf clubs that produce a substantially constant initial trajectory for the ball throughout the set.
In accordance with the present invention, a set of golf club heads is disclosed. The set includes at least first and second golf club heads. The first club head has a first loft angle and a first center of gravity. The second golf club head has a second loft angle and a second center of gravity. The first loft angle is less than the second loft angle. Each club head further includes a heel, a toe, an upper surface, a lower surface, a front face, a back face opposite the front face, and a peripheral weight defining a cavity. The first peripheral weight weighs less than the second peripheral weight so that the first center of gravity is located at a first height and the second center of gravity is located at a second height and the first height is less than the second height.
In one embodiment, the weight of the peripheral weights is varied by changing the thickness of the peripheral weights so that the thickness of the first peripheral weight is less than the thickness of the second peripheral weight. In another embodiment, the weight of the peripheral weights is varied by changing the height of the peripheral weights so that the height of an upper portion the first peripheral weight is less than the height of an upper portion the second peripheral weight.
In one embodiment, each peripheral weight has an upper thickness at the upper surface and a lower thickness spaced below the upper thickness, and the lower thickness of the first peripheral weight is less than the lower thickness of the second peripheral weight. In another such embodiment, the upper thickness is constant through the set.
Additionally or alternatively, the cavity of each head includes a cavity weight, and the cavity weight of the first club head has a weight distribution different than the cavity weight of the second club head. In other embodiments, the cavity weight further includes an upper weight and/or a lower weight. The upper weight is disposed closer to the upper surface than the lower surface. The lower weight is disposed between the upper weight and the lower surface.
In one embodiment, the set of heads further includes at least four club heads. In such an embodiment, the set further includes a 1 iron, a 2 iron, a 3 iron, a four iron, a 5 iron, a 6 iron, a 7 iron, an 8 iron, a 9 iron, and a pitching wedge.
The present invention is also directed to a set of golf clubs including first and second golf club heads and first and second shafts connected thereto respectively. The first shaft has a first shaft length and the second shaft has a second shaft length. The first length is greater than the second length.
The first club head has a first loft angle and a first center of gravity. The second golf club head has a second loft angle and a second center of gravity. The first loft angle is less than the second loft angle. Each club head further includes a heel, a toe, an upper surface, a lower surface, a front face, a back face opposite the front face, and a peripheral weight defining a cavity. In addition, the height of the first peripheral weight is less than the height of the second peripheral weight. As a result, the first center of gravity is located at a first height and the second center of gravity is located at a second height and the first height is less than the second height.
In one embodiment, each peripheral weight further includes a rear face forming a first angle with a face plane parallel to the front face, and the first angle increases along the set.
In another embodiment, each peripheral weight further includes an upper surface forming a second angle with the face plane. In one such embodiment, the second angle is constant through the set. In another such embodiment, the second angle increases from the first club to the second club.
By raising the center of gravity from the long irons to the short irons, a golfer will see a peak trajectory height along a line for each club head that is substantially more consistent along that line throughout the set than prior art clubs provide.